hile there are a
multitude of recordings of Tchaikovsky symphonies, I hold these three performances in the
very highest regard. When Eugene Mravinsky brought the Leningrad Philharmonic to the West
in 1956, both conductor and orchestra were rather unknown commodities. This was the height
of the Cold War, and, while a reputation preceded them, no one was quite sure what to
expect. Mravinsky and his assistant, Kurt Sanderling, shared the conducting of the last
three Tchaikovsky symphonies and recorded them in mono. Many prefer the mono recordings to
these stereo remakes from four years later. Personally, I prefer the later versions.
However, having the original Deutsche Grammophon LPs as well as the later CD reissues on
the DGG Originals label, I find fault with the sound quality of both. The recordings are a
little murky in the lower midrange and occasionally sound bright and edgy in the upper
registers, which can bring on fatigue after a long listening session.

But this was the best they would ever sound, and I had to
accept the sonic issues in order to enjoy the performances. Thus, I was totally unprepared
for what Esoteric has wrought with this two-SACD set. Where there was murkiness, there is
now see-through clarity that exposes more individual instrumentation than Id ever
experienced. What was bright has now been tamed.

If you ask me about the best performances of Tchaikovsky
symphonies, I will say that there are a plethora to choose from. You cant go wrong
with Monteux on RCA and Stokowski on Decca to name but two. Mravinsky holds a special
place in my heart because his conducting is so different. All conductors interpret what
the composer has written, but Mravinsky brings the music home in a way that no other
conductor does. He exposes the orchestra to an openness that is unrivaled for these works.
His finale for each is a stunning achievement in conducting outside the box, and he is a
master of Russian repertoire. Mravinskys style is on the order of Fritz Reiner's: he
is in complete control -- a dictator when it comes to the performance.

Esoteric has done an outstanding job resurrecting these
recordings, producing very good sound for its period, if slightly hard-edged in a way that
suits the Leningrad Philharmonic well. And the recordings are in stereo. As with allEsoteric reissues, these wont be available forever. If this
music is as vital to you as it is to me, dont procrastinate.